The discussion below is merely provided for general background information and is not intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
Aspects of the invention relate to a roof assembly and an open roof construction for a vehicle having the roof assembly disposed in a roof opening defined in a roof part of the vehicle.
One form of roof assembly includes at least a panel which is movable between a closed position in which it closes the roof opening and an open position in which it opens the roof opening and is positioned at least partially above an adjoining roof part. A first device moves the rear edge of the panel towards a raised position relative to the closed position and above the adjoining roof part. A second device includes a lever and moves the front edge of the panel in vertical direction. The lever has a lower pivoting axis, an upper pivotal connection to the panel and an intermediate guide connection, connecting the lever to a guiding slide. A guide mechanism is provided for guiding the panel towards the open position when the rear edge thereof is in the raised position.
Such open roof constructions are for example known from U.S. Pat. No. 7,178,862 B2 and KR 92-008091.
Nowadays, the automobile industry requires higher standards every year, for example in the area of sound or noise insulation. In an open roof construction, one source of noise may be the sealing between the panel and the fixed roof part. If the panel is lifted from a seal when the vehicle is driving at high speeds with the roof panel closed, disturbing noises may be created and/or environmental noises may reach the interior of the vehicle. Due to larger roof panels and higher speeds obtainable by the vehicles, it becomes more and more important to provide a stable support for the panel so that it can withstand high forces and is able to keep the panel in a sealed engagement in the closed position.